Becoming a building architect requires completing a professional architecture program, followed by several years of internship and passing an architectural license exam. The process is rigorous due to the need for understanding aesthetics, building standards, and public needs. Different countries have different accreditation requirements for architecture degrees. After completing the degree and internship, an architect-in-training takes a certification exam.
To become a building architect, an individual typically needs to go through several stages of training and licensing. Most architects must complete a professional-level architecture program. This is usually followed by several years of mandatory internship. Most countries require their architects to take an exam to obtain an architectural license.
The steps to becoming a building architect are often rigorous because architects must have a good understanding of aesthetics, building standards, and public need for living spaces. The design of a building can be highly regulated. An architect must be aware of what is permissible, safe and comfortable for people to live and use. Some architects specialize in certain types of buildings, such as offices, apartment buildings, or hospitals.
The first step an individual should take to become a building architect is to obtain a professional degree. This diploma can take different forms, based on the accreditation required by the country in which the student studies. In the United States, any professional architecture degree must be accredited by a national organization called the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Canada has an equivalent body called the Architectural Certification Board of Canada (CACB).
There are three main ways to earn an accredited architecture degree in the United States. First, a student can have a professional five-year Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) degree. Second, a student can complete a four-year non-professional Bachelor of Architecture degree combined with a two-year Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) program. The third way to earn an accredited degree is to earn a four-year Bachelor’s degree in another discipline and a three- to four-year M. Professional. degree.
After five to eight years of schooling, the student usually earns a professional degree from an accredited program. So, to become a building architect, that student must typically enter a three-year internship program. During this time, he or she often works as a salaried employee for an architectural firm and continues to learn the trade.
Upon completion of this stage, an architect-in-training usually takes the architecture licensing test. While not all countries require the same level of training to become a building architect as the United States, they generally require architects to take a similar certification exam. This exam varies from country to country and from state to state. In the United States, most state licensing boards follow certification criteria established by the National Board of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
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